Tunes are by the 44-year-old Texan saxophonist Patrick Cornelius who is also on Altin Sencalar's In Good Standing and who also plays alto flute and clarinet in addition to his choice of soprano and alto saxophones on Book of Secrets. If you follow the Los Angeles straightahead label Posi-Tone's releases with even cursory interest you will quickly realise that the ''label repertory company'' pianist and for us most valuable asset of all Art Hirahara is among the personnel as is newcomer Sencalar on 'The Way'. But it's Idle Hands vibist Behn Gillece who colours the ensemble after Hirahara splashes into 'Archetype' at the beginning. Vinnie Sperrazza - very good with Ethan Iverson and Michael Formanek recently on Saturday - is on drums and hustles the others along busily on 'Puzzle Box' where bassist Peter Slavov not so much takes the bass for a walk but changes up a lick and makes the mutha gallop. Cornelius is a purist bebopper at heart (maybe Sonny Stitt a smidge) and his tone gets sweeter and is not at all harsh here, so drink in the timbral developments in his sound and there is very pleasant contrast between his alto and labelmate Diego Rivera's tenor on the same track. 'A Wish' is a flute feature which when listening in sequence comes as a pleasant contrast, Cornelius a little James Newton-like. The piece makes us think of the mood McCoy Tyner conveyed so benevolently on The Real McCoy's 'Search For Peace'. Solid playing overall - fine instrumentalism and as expected retro and swinging (when it needs to be) but also full of nuance most of all on 'The Way' when clarinet and trombone prove a piquant blend. Out now. Patrick Cornelius, photo: detail from the cover art

MORE READING AND LISTENING:

• Infinite Blue - reviewed in 2013